Over the years, I have been tremendously disturbed about certain errors of leadership which have kept me sober and more deliberate about my mindset and decisions as a leader. Let me share a few:
- A foreign multi-national company with a subsidiary in another country instructs its Country Manager to recruit competent individuals for top management positions who shall be highly remunerated. The Country Manager fulfills all directives from the Board as regards the recruitment. However, as Head of that subsidiary, he uses his authority to lower the approved remuneration of the new staff and channels the difference into his own accounts.
Several years on, the diligence of the new staff gain the company enormous market dominance and enhanced profits. The delighted Board approves huge bonuses and perks to motivate them. Once more, unbeknownst to the Board, the Country Manager informs the hardworking staff of much lower bonuses and diverts the remaining into his accounts.
- The Chairman and majority shareholder of a thriving airline sits on an interview panel and addresses a team of newly hired Pilots with an air of pomposity: “Our policy in this airline is that we don’t pay our staff on time, so expect delayed salaries for several months!” He smiles inwardly to himself as he reflects on the several investment instruments staff salaries are channeled to generate enormous interest before the airline staff are paid. As a result, over the years, staff have had to endure extreme financial hardships and mounting debts due to the Chairman’s insensitive policy.
- The Founder of a promising start up company has gained a bad reputation of hiring staff, using their expertise to build his company with no intention of paying them! Teams of past employees who have been taken advantage on and have quit are bitter.
Share your advice and wisdom gleaned from these unfortunate leadership attitudes….
Coming up next week: Empowering Nuggets for Potential CEOs – CEO of the Mind
